Hand/Wrist News

BOSTON — Hyperextension deformities of the metacarpophalangeal joint measuring less than or equal to 30° do not necessarily impact the outcome of trapeziectomy for thumb base osteoarthritis, according to a study presented here.

In the August 2010 issue of a peer-reviewed journal, I published an article I titled “Thoughts on Orthopaedic Guidelines,” in which I expressed concerns regarding what I considered a premature release of a guideline for fractures of the distal radius. I based my concerns on a superficial understanding of the guideline as published in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ newsletter 1 month earlier. I concluded that in its present form, the guideline might lead to complacency or encouragement to litigation. To me, it appeared to be a “mandate” rather than “advice.”

A recently published Mayo Clinic study found that orthopedic, abdominal, chest or dental surgeries that lead to neuropathy may be caused by nerve inflammation rather than nerve compression or stretching during surgery.

This prospective, level 1 evidence, randomized multi-centered study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of a single prophylactic dose of radiation therapy following elbow trauma, if it could reduce the need for surgical excision of heterotopic ossification and perhaps improve clinical results. However, it was terminated prior to completion due to an unacceptably high number of adverse events reported in the treatment group.

There were no significant differences between metal and biodegradable suture anchors for arthroscopic repair of full-thickness rotator cuff tears, according to results of a level I randomized controlled trial.

Continuous dynamic external fixation is an effective alternative to static external fixation when treating distal radial fractures, according to results of this prospective, randomized, multicenter study.

Total elbow arthroplasty – while a viable option in many cases – does not have to be the go-to procedure in cases of nonunions and malunions in the elbow, according to one physician’s experience.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Understanding, and perhaps solving, the frequency with which shoulder pathologies occur could be a matter of proper classification and a closer look at the biomechanical processes behind the injuries, according to one physician.

National rates of symptomatic venous thromboembolism after upper extremity arthroplasty were more than double than what has previously been acknowledged, according to a review of national Medicare claims from 2005 to 2007.

Many treatment options are available for patients with rotator cuff tears, but it is uncertain whether patients benefit more from operative or nonoperative interventions, according to an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality report.